At a glance

Your chance to

Try the local goulash soup and apfel strudel at well-earned rest stops

At a glance

7 nights at the family-run Hotel Wienerhof

5 days cross-country skiing

Different grades on different dates from beginners to intermediates

Mix of flat easy loipe to challenging ascents/descents

Ski through authentic Tyrolean scenery

Just south of historic Innsbruck, our base is the pretty and traditional village of Trins, set at 1233m. This quaint village allows access to a large variety of skiing areas in the surrounding valleys: the Gschnitztal and Obernbergtal to the West towards the Stubai mountains and the Schmirntal to the East rising into the Zillertal Alps. After a hard day's skiing through quiet Tyrolean valleys, we can relax in our lovely hotel, where the bar awaits us with afternoon tea and fresh cakes.

Itinerary

2Day 2Our week includes five days of cross-country skiing through three different areas, exploring meadows, woods, quiet villages and working farms. There is also one free day during the week.

We prefer not to specify in advance where we will ski each day. This is to enhance the flexibility and adapt to weather and snow conditions and to some extent the ability of each group. When choosing routes, the leader's priority will be to take in a variety of scenery and to ensure that participants become better and more confident skiers as the week progresses.
Examples of skiing options:
From Trins skiing routes gently rise up through meadows and woods to the head of the valley - ideal for beginners. Up at 1700m is Mariawaldrast, a unique mountain location that combines high-altitude skiing and a former medieval Servite monastery. There's a welcoming cafe too, where you may well be served by the last remaining monk. In the picturesque Schmirntal, our routes pass quiet villages and working farms. Almost as untouched is the Obernbergtal, where we ski past the beautiful church of St Nikolaus.See more images and videos

3Day 3The second of our guided ski tours, see the detailed description on for skiing possibilities.

Today should see us progress slightly further afield, enjoying the variety of terrain in the area, see detailed descriptions of day 2 for possible skiing options.See more images and videos

4Day 4Armed with growing confidence and skill we head out for another day of guided skiing, see the detailed description on for skiing possibilities.

Your images

Adult Group

This is a small group adult holiday. The group is usually between 4 and 16 in size, with an average of 12 like-minded clients booking individually, in a couple or as friends together.

Activity level

You may be a total beginner or an experienced cross-country skier. Many destinations offer different level weeks or multi-grade skiing on the same week. Choose from ‘Classic’ and ‘Skate’ style holidays, or even a ski marathon race for the ultimate winter challenge. See below for more grading details.

What's included

What's included

All breakfasts, 7 dinners

All accommodation

London flights (if booking incl. flights)

Airport transfers

What's not included

Ski hire

Travel insurance

Single accommodation - FREE (limited availability)

Accommodation details

Hotel Wienerhof - 3 Star

Our comfortable base is situated in the heart of the village of Trins. This family-run hotel has rooms in 2 separate buildings: the traditional main building has a cosy dining room and separate bar, while just across the narrow village street the second, more modern, building houses a sauna and enhanced relaxation area. Austrian-twin and single rooms have shower and WC and may be in either buildings. By using a family-run hotel as well as local ski hire shop and transport companies, we ensure that our stay in Trins is run in a responsible way and benefits the local communities.

Essential info

Vaccinations and Visa
No visa required for British passport holders.
There are no specific health risks. Holiday style

Cross-country skiing is an increasingly popular winter pastime. Compared to those used for downhill, the skis are longer, thinner and lighter with bindings that allow you to lift up your heel. Most cross-country skiing is undertaken on prepared tracks (loipe) covering flat and hillier terrain, enabling you explore the winter landscapes away from the confines of the alpine pistes.
In Trins, there are three grades of skiing offered, ranging from beginner to intermediate and advanced. Availability varies and depending on the dates there may be one leader offering cross-country skiing and one leader running our Winter Walking trip (see tour code CAT for details). Please check the grade of skiing that applies to your selected week.

Your Safety:
All active winter holidays involve some element of risk, from a possible slip on an icy pavement to the possibility of sustaining an injury as a result of the winter activities. Exodus does everything it can to safeguard against any dangers however participants must be prepared to accept some level of risk as part of the holiday. Please refer to the 'risk of injury' section at the back of the Winter Activities brochure or the online FAQs for this trip for further information.
On the first few days of a beginner's cross-country skiing course your instructor will choose the trails and terrain carefully, avoiding steep slopes. In spite of this you should expect to fall over on the flat! Unlike downhill skiing, where falls can happen at speed, most cross-country falls happen at slow speeds or from an almost static position and cause no injury. In the rare case that an injury is sustained this may, at worst, involve broken bones. When properly instructed, cross-country skiing is a safe and enjoyable sport.

Grade 1 - Beginners. Recommended for beginners or those who feel the need to improve basic techniques. We teach you the essentials and explore gently undulating terrain. All or most skiing is on prepared tracks. More experienced skiers are welcome, but please be aware that the pace will be set for the beginners. Towards the end of the holiday you might ski 10 - 15km or more a day, at a gentle pace.

Grade 2 - Improvers/confident beginners. A mix of flat and hillier terrain. Grade 2 weeks are for people who have enjoyed a Grade 1 holiday, grasped the snowplough and now want to improve technique. We ski a little more quickly and over more challenging terrain than on a grade 1 trip.
Acceptable for newcomers to cross-country skiing, but you should be very fit and proficient in sports that develop balance: ice skating, roller-skating or downhill skiing. Most of the skiing will be on tracks but there may be some off-track skiing.

Grade 2+ - Intermediates (unsuitable for beginners) On these holidays there is not enough flat terrain for us to accept beginners. Suitable for clients who have done a couple of weeks with us, have developed their snowplough and can cope fairly confidently with undulating tracks.

Eating & drinking

Breakfast and evening meals are included in this trip. An ample buffet breakfast prepares us for the exertions of the day ahead. The excellent evening meals draw on Austrian traditions. Complimentary afternoon tea and cakes are also served.

Trip notes

Download the detailed trip notes for everything you could possibly want to know about this trip, including
detailed itinerary and full kit list

Weather & seasonality

Trins is situated at 1200m and at this height snow can lie from December to mid-March, with fresh snowfalls at any time. Average daytime temperatures in winter are around -5degC, though they can fall as low as -15degC with approx. 8 to 10 hours of daylight. At all times of the winter you can hope for periods of clear bright weather and in February and March it can become surprisingly warm in the sun.

Gallery

Reviews & community

A very civilised ski holiday with beautiful scenery, a good variety of skiing and excellent food at lunchtimes. Also a friendly and sociable bunch of fellow travellers. No worries if you are a solo traveller.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

See above.

What did you think of your group leader?

Our guide Bob was an excellent tour guide and ski instructor who coped admirably with the challenging and unseasonable snow conditions. He was a real resource of helpful information whether he was teaching ski technique, helping us decipher the lunch menu or making suggestions for the free day. I would say though, there were times I found Bob somewhat officious but this may have been due to having to manage such a large group.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

The hotel is comfortably warm so there is no need to wear sweaters or layers in the evenings. Also, if you are a light sleeper you may find the light or noise from the street bothersome if you've been allocated a road side room.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

My only disappointment with this trip was the village of Trins itself. It is quite small, consisting of just one through road with a few shops and businesses either side, and rather lacking in any real character. There is nothing to do in Trins apart from using the facilities at the hotel, namely the bar and sauna. There are more interesting towns and villages nearby but local transport is limited so exploring elsewhere is best left for the free day. So in spite of the enjoyable skiing this is not somewhere I would be tempted to visit again.

Questions about your trip

Pick your question

Can I make my own way to Trins?

The start hotel is approximately 1 hour from Innsbruck airport and will cost around 10 Euros to reach by public transport. You can also get there from other cities and airports, please contact for more details.

What is the hotel in Trins like?

Hotel Wienerhof is a comfortable base situated in the heart of the village of Trins. The traditional main building has a cosy dining room and separate bar, while just across the narrow village street the modern annexe houses a sauna and enhanced relaxation area (no charge) along with the opportunity for a massage (not included).

The hotel is renowned for its food; most evenings we have three choices of main course, plus a vegetarian option, and there is always a plentiful salad buffet. Complimentary tea, coffee and cake are served each afternoon. Austrian-twin and single rooms have shower and WC and may be in either the main building or the annexe. All rooms are equipped with TV, telephone, hair dryer and code operated safe.

A word of warning about Austria for people sharing ‘twin-bedded rooms’: these often contain a single unit with two separate mattresses and separate bedding; it is not usually possible to move them apart, though it may sometimes be possible to add an extra bed - please check with us if this is important to you. It is possible to share a room with someone on the concurrent winter walking holiday.

Rachel George - Customer Operations

Do I need previous experience of cross country skiing?

No, it's not essential, although any previous experience will be a bonus! There are different weeks specially graded for beginners, so make sure you pick the correct week to begin with. It should specify in the brochure and on the website but if you're not sure, just contact Exodus. If there are 2 different grades happening in the same week, you can sometimes switch to a higher grade towards the end of the week if you feel you have gained sufficient experience.

Danuta Janik - Customer Operations

What kind of luggage should I take?

There's really no restiction, whatever feels comfortable for you. Whether that's a wheelie case or a rucksack, you won't be carrying it too far so don't worry!

Amanda Ceraolo - Product Manager

Exodus staff - expertise on hand to help

All the staff at Exodus share a passion for adventure travel, and are always happy to answer any questions you may have. You can find an expert for the area you are interested in here and can contact them to get further information. If you don't see your specific country listed, please email customerops@exodus.co.uk and they will get the answers you need!

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